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All-Star Game lineups revealed: Chris Sale and Max Scherzer to start for 2nd straight year

Chris Sale and Max Scherzer started the All-Star Game in 2017, and they’ll both do the same in 2018. (Photo by Billie Weiss/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images)
Chris Sale and Max Scherzer started the All-Star Game in 2017, and they’ll both do the same in 2018. (Photo by Billie Weiss/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images)

The American League and National League lineups for the 2018 All-Star Game have been released to a hungry public, and there are two names you might recognize from last year in the pitcher’s spots.

Chris Sale of the Boston Red Sox will take the bump for the AL, and Max Scherzer of the Washington Nationals will start in his home park for the NL, which is exactly what happened at the 2017 All-Star Game. Sale pitched two scoreless innings, allowing three hits and striking out two. Scherzer pitched one inning and allowed one hit while also striking out two.

It was an even matchup then, and it’s still an even matchup a year later. Sale has a 2.23 ERA, 188 strikeouts, and a 13.1 strikeout to walk ratio. Scherzer has a 2.41 ERA, 180 strikeouts, and a 12.2 strikeout to walk ratio. Scherzer and Sale are currently at or near the top of most pitching stat leaderboards, including walks & hits per nine innings, hits per nine innings, strikeouts, and strikeouts per nine innings. They may only face each other for an inning, but it should be a good one.

AL manager A.J. Hinch and NL manager Dave Roberts also revealed the non-starting pitcher portions of their lineups on Monday.

AMERICAN LEAGUE
RF: Mookie Betts, Boston Red Sox
2B: Jose Altuve, Houston
CF: Mike Trout, Los Angeles Angels
DH: J.D. Martinez, Boston Red Sox
3B: Jose Ramirez, Cleveland Indians
LF: Aaron Judge, New York Yankees
SS: Manny Machado, Baltimore Orioles
1B: Jose Abreu, Chicago White Sox
C: Salvador Perez, Kansas City Royals

NATIONAL LEAGUE
2B: Javier Baez, Chicago Cubs
3B: Nolan Arenado, Colorado Rockies
DH: Paul Goldschmidt, Arizona Diamondbacks
1B: Freddie Freeman, Atlanta Braves
LF: Matt Kemp, Los Angeles Dodgers
CF: Bryce Harper, Washington Nationals
RF: Nick Markakis, Atlanta Braves
SS: Brandon Crawford, San Francisco Giants
C: Willson Contreras, Chicago Cubs

If there’s one thing you notice from seeing those lineups next to each other, it’s that the AL is absolutely stacked. The NL starters have their work cut out for themselves.

The All-Star Game will be broadcast on Tuesday night at 8pm ET on ESPN, but don’t forget about the Home Run Derby, which is on Monday at 8pm ET on ESPN. While none of the players starting the All-Star Game for the AL are participating in the Derby, NL starters Javy Baez, Freddie Freeman, and Bryce Harper will be competing.

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Liz Roscher is a writer for Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email her at lizroscher@yahoo.com or follow her on Twitter at @lizroscher.

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